Design of a dual-channel panoramic optical system for automotive machine vision

Subject of study. Catadioptric dual-channel optical panoramic systems, designed to operate as automotive machine vision systems in both daytime and twilight modes, are studied. Aim of study. The aims were to investigate catadioptric optical systems and design a combined two-channel panoramic lens with an ultrawide angular field of view in the visible and infrared spectral ranges to enhance driving safety. Method. Division of the angular field of view into two optical channels (each with a single image sensor operating in its corresponding spectral range), together with the use of a structurally complex mirror-lens component, resulted in improved aberration correction across the entire system for extremely wide angular fields. This approach effectively minimized the effects of distortion, field curvature, and astigmatism on the image quality formed on the detector array. Main results. Optical systems with similar parameters, designed for automotive machine vision operating under daytime and twilight conditions, were analyzed. Wide-angle systems exhibited several common shortcomings, including low resolutions at the edges of the field of view and operating ranges limited to the visible spectrum. As a result, their technical specifications inhibited operation under twilight or nighttime conditions. Based on the analysis results, an optical system of a dual-channel panoramic lens was developed for automotive machine vision. The principles of panoramic visualization system design were demonstrated, and a schematic of the two-channel panoramic lens for an extended spectral operating range was developed. Practical significance. The results indicate that the electronic model of the panoramic circular-view lens, developed using the CAE Zemax tool, can serve as a prototype for an optical system intended for daytime and twilight operation, offering optical characteristics superior to those of existing analog systems.